China, Russia sign memorandum of understanding on second major natural gas route

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping shake hands during a bilateral meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014. Putin is in Beijing to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings which will be held on Nov. 10 and 11. (AP Photo/How Hwee Young, Pool)
(The Associated Press)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, walks towards his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during a bilateral meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014. Putin is in Beijing to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings which will be held on Nov. 10 and 11. (AP Photo/How Hwee Young, Pool)
(The Associated Press)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, front, and Russian Ambassador to China Andrei Denisov, right, walk out from a plane upon arrival in the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014. Putin is in China to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which will be held on Nov. 10 and 11. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti Kremlin, Mikhail Klimentyev, Presidential Press Service)
(The Associated Press)

BEIJING – The leaders of China and Russia have signed agreements to boost their energy cooperation, including an understanding to develop a second major route to supply the Chinese side with Russian natural gas following an initial $400 billion deal in May.

Presidents Xi Jinping of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia presided over the signing of several accords, which also included financing agreements, after meeting Sunday in the Chinese capital ahead of this week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

One of the memorandums of understanding is to develop a western route for the delivery of Russian gas, following the May agreement to supply 38 billion cubic meters of gas annually through an eastern route.